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more Liberal tactics

Lonecowboy

Well-known member
Baucus uses IRS to attack-

Baucus sics IRS on political nonprofits, cites influence of conservative groups
By: Allison Hayward
Special to The Examiner
10/08/10 2:50 PM EDT
Sen. Max Baucus, the top Democrat on the Senate’s tax-writing committee, has called for IRS investigations of GOP-leaning groups in a broader agency “study” of political nonprofits meant to “ensure” that the organizations are not abusing their tax status.

In late September, Baucus sent a letter to the IRS commissioner requesting an investigation of 501(c)(4) groups, which can spend money on politics while protecting the identity of its donors as long as its primary purpose consists of activities other than political advocacy, such as lobbying. The only groups singled out in the letter were Americans for Job Security and Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies, both conservative nonprofits.
The investigation is widely viewed as an attempt to send a message, not to seriously examine nonprofits’ tax status. A prominent campaign finance attorney, Harmon, Curran, Speilberg & Eisenberg Partner Beth Kingsley, said on an American Bar Association conference call that the tax year for many of these political groups has not ended, making any IRS investigation premature.

Crossroads GPS, for example, has only existed for four months. “They haven't even had to file a Form 990 [annual tax return],” Kingsley said, according to a campaign finance trade publication.

Furthermore, Crossroads GPS announced plans to spend a significant amount of resources on non-political activities such as lobbying Congress during the lame duck session and the next legislative session, and it recently ran a policy-focused ad (on S. 3773, the Tax Hike Prevention Act) in Capitol Hill newspapers.

Considering this evidence, the Baucus allegations seem rather rash at best and a naked attempt at political intimidation at worst. Despite cherry-picked media accounts by Baucus, there’s no evidence any of these groups are violating the law.

In response, Republican Sens. Orrin Hatch and Jon Kyl sent their own letter to the IRS: “We are worried that the sole purpose of any such effort is to chill the legitimate exercise of First Amendment rights and intimidate Americans who wish to be part of petitioning the government for redress of their grievances,” the letter read.

Meanwhile, the Treasury Department inspector general said recently that the office opened an investigation into allegations that Obama Administration official Austan Goolsbee improperly disclosed confidential tax information about Koch Industries in a conference call with journalists. Charles and David Koch, who own the company, have played a prominent role in supporting organizations opposed to Obama’s agenda.

Baucus and the Obama administration seem to be just the latest examples of politicians throughout American history who have used the IRS against their opponents.

Chief Justice John Marshall observed in McCulloch v. Maryland that “the power to tax is the power to destroy .” Baucus et al have taken that admonition as instructive rather than cautionary.



Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/Examiner-Opinion-Zone/Baucus-sics-IRS-on-political-nonprofits-cites-influence-of-conservative-groups-104586024.html#ixzz126WrRyLV



Despite cherry-picked media accounts by Baucus,

with the help of the media.
 

hypocritexposer

Well-known member
I'm sure he will get right on it, when the tax year is over and when Republicans are back in power and add the Soros funded organizations to the 2 he has mentioned. :lol:
 
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